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Dioxins and Furans

What are dioxins and furans?


Dioxins and furans is the abbreviated or short
name for a family of toxic substances that all
share a similar chemical structure. Dioxins, in
their purest form, look like crystals or a
colorless solid. Most dioxins and furans are
not man-made or produced intentionally, but
are created when other chemicals or products
are made. Of all of the dioxins and furans,
one, 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro-p-dibenzo-dioxin
(2,3,7,8 TCDD) is considered the most toxic.
What are dioxins and furans used for?
Dioxins and furans are not made for any
specific purpose; however, they are created
when products like herbicides are made. They
are also created in the pulp and paper industry,
from a process that bleaches the wood pulp.
In addition, they can be produced when
products are burned.
How can dioxins and furans enter and
leave your body?
Dioxins and furans can enter your body
through breathing contaminated air, drinking
contaminated water or eating contaminated
food. About 90% of exposure to dioxins and
furans is from eating contaminated food.
Dioxins and furans can build up in the fatty
tissues of animals.
How can you be exposed to dioxins and
furans?
You can be exposed to dioxins and furans by
eating contaminated food. Dioxins and furans
typically stay and build up in the fatty tissues of
animals. This means that eating beef, pork,
poultry, fish as well as dairy products can be a
source of exposure.
There are several sources of exposure to
dioxins and furans. If you work in or near a
municipal solid waste incinerator, copper
smelter, cement kiln or coal fired power plant
you can be exposed to dioxins and furans.
Individuals who burn their household waste or
burn wood can be exposed as well. Even
forest fires can contribute to the creation of
small amounts of dioxins and furans.
Dioxins and furans have been found in the air,
soil, and food. Dioxins and furans are mainly
distributed through the air. However, only a
small percentage of exposure is from air.
Eating contaminated food is the primary
source of exposure.
What are the health effects of exposure to
dioxins and furans?
Dioxins and furans can cause a number of
health effects. The most well known member
of the dioxins/furans family is 2,3,7,8 TCDD.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) has said that it is likely to be a cancer
causing substance to humans. In addition,
people exposed to dioxins and furans have
experienced changes in hormone levels. High
doses of dioxin have caused a skin diseased
called chloracne. Animal studies show that
animals exposed to dioxins and furans
experienced changes in their hormone
systems, changes in the development of the
fetus, decreased ability to reproduce and
suppressed immune system.
What levels of exposure have resulted in
harmful health effects?
The U.S. EPA has set a limit of 0.00003
micrograms of 2,3,7,8-TCDD per liter of
drinking water (ug/L). The Food and Drug
Administration recommends not eating fish and
shell fish with
more than 50 parts per trillion (50 ppt) of
2,3,7,8-TCDD.
Where can you get more information?
Contact your state health or environmental
department, or:
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry
Division of Toxicology
1600 Clifton Road, N.E., E-29
Atlanta, Georgia 30333
References
1. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease
Registry (ATSDR). Toxicological Profile,
Chlorinated Dibenzo-p-Dioxins (CDDs).
Atlanta, GA: U.S. Public Health Service,
U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services, 1999.
2. Chiefs of Ontario, Effects on Aboriginals
from the Great Lakes Environment Project
(EAGLE). Fact Sheet 11: Dioxins and
Furans http://www.chiefs-of-
ontario.org/eagle/factsheet11.htm
3. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Priority PBTs : Dioxins and Furans Fact
Sheet. Washington, D.C.: Office of
Pollution Prevention and Toxics.
4. U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services. Hazardous Substances Data
Bank (HSDB, online database). National
Library of Medicine Bethesda, MD, 2001.

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